Window-cleaner.



May 30, 1916.

SETS-SHEET 1.

G. E. ADAMS.

wmnow CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I0. 1915.

Patented G. E. ADAMS.

WINDOW CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. lo. m5.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETSf-SHEET 2.

GEORGE E. ADAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOS.

WINDOW-CLEANER manif.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 36, 1916..

Application led September 10, 1915. Serial No. 49,987.

certain new and useful Improvements in -WindowCleanersg and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification."

Oftentimes in stormy weather the windows or glass shields of a vehicle or car become clouded or so covered with rain, snow, or dust as to make it almost impossible to see therethrough, and as a consequence serious accidents may often occur, due to the inability of a person operating such car or vehicle to properly view the road ahead.

This invention relates to a mechanism operating simultaneously on both the inner and outer surfaces of a window Vor .other transparent shield to clean the same 1n an .instant of time by merely operating a pair of handles for the purpose.

It is an important object of this invention to construct a window cleaning mechanism adapted for use on practically any type of transparent shield or window structure adapted to clean both surfaces thereof simultaneously by a single operation, and so constructed that moisture collecting upon the cleaning means is drained away at one end thereof.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the end of a car partly broken away illustrating a window on the platform thereof ,equipped with a device embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, with parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary interior elevation of the window frame detached from the car and equipped with the device embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on line 5*-5 of Fig. 3. 6 is a detail elevational view at the lower inner corner of the window.

As shown in the drawings the reference numeral 1, indicates as a whole a car, and mounted in the usual manner on the platform thereof is a sash or window frame comprising al top rail 2, a bottom rail 3, and stiles 4 and 5, respectively. Mounted 1n the window or sash frame is a pane of glass 6, secured therein in any suitable orV usual manner, and recessed into the ends of the respective top and bottom rail members 2 and 3, are U-shaped plates or brackets 7 and 8, respectively, of exactly similar construction. Journaled in each of the U- shaped brackets 7, is a s rocket wheel 9, and a similar sprocket w eel 10, is journaled in each of the brackets 8, and trained about said respective pairs of sprocket wheels 9 and 10, over the inner and outer surfaces of the respective stile members 4 and 5, are chains 11. A link 12, is connected into each of said sprocket chains 11, on each side of the'window frame by means of rings 13, and secured upon each of said links 12, are rods or bars 14. The links 12,' are so disposed on the respective sprocket chains 11, that the rods connected to said links are inclined a slight amount from the horizontal, as clearly shown in Fig. 3,'the purpose of which lis hereinafter pointed out. Secured around each of said bars 14, are strips of rubber or other suitable material 15, with the margins thereof denoted by the reference numeral 16, directed inwardly toward the pane of glass 6, in the sash. The margins 16, dueto the nature of the material 15, act yieldingly as a cleaning or squeegeemeans on the surface of the pane 6, when the mechanism is operated to move said bars 14, upwardly and downwardly respectively over the surface of the glass.

1t is desirable when the parts are in position out of use that the portions 16, of the cleaning means be moved out of contact with the pane of glass, and accordingly shoes are provided mounted upon the Stiles of thewindow frame atl the upper and lower ends thereof, the upper shoes denoted by the reference numeral 17 and the lower shoes by the reference numeral 18, there being four in all, the upper pair 17, disposed on the outer side of the window frame, and the lower pair 18, on theinner surface thereof. Thus when the mechanism is moved into position out of use theI rods 14, ride over the respec-v tive shoes 17 and 18, thrustingthe `.rods away v I Gentes of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the from the window frame the margin 16, of the away from the glass.

For the .purpose of operating the device, handles 19, are provided at each end of the bar lation the inner side of the window, disposed for convenient access by a person wishlng to operate the device.

Thecoperation is as follows: In order to and withdrawing cleaning elements clean thel window the person on the 'inner normally disposed atv the upper end of the frame, 1s moved downwardly, and due to the tensioning of the chain 11, by the inward thrust on the handles 19, the outer cleaning element is caused to press closely against the outer surface of the pane of glass as it moves ownwardly thereover. The handles 19, are then pulled downwardly, so that the cleaning element retraces its path over the pane of glass, eectually cleaning the same, and

similarly the outer cleaning element sweeps upwardly over the outer surface at the same time. As the parts move into position out of use the inner cleaning element is thrust from the glass by the shoes 18, and the outer cleaning element is-thrust away from the outer surface of the glass by the shoes 17. The tilt manon or inclination of the respective cleaning elements, which is clearly shown in Fig. 3, due to the fact that the same are connected at different points upon the respective sprocket chains 11, permits the moisture collected thereon to drain' therefrom at one end thereof, and furthermore the outer cleaning element, which is normally disposed at the upper end of the window frame and in a tilted position, acts to receive Water draining from the wall of the car above the window frame, draining the same to one side of the pane of glass, so that the same does not drip thereover to further cloud the same and obscure the view therethrough.

I am well aware that my invention is suscept'ible of many variations in construction and adaptation, but it is'to be understood that although shown associated with a car window it may be used in any connection whatsoever wherein a similar cleaning effect is desired.

I claim as my invention:

In a device of the class described, the combination with a window, of means mounted on the inner and outer sides thereof, and connected for simultaneous operation vertically in a right line to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the window simultaneously, said means being disposed at a slight angle to the horizontal, whereby moisture wiped from the window will be discharged at one end of said means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr., EARL M. HARDINE.

"Commissioner ot Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

